Jump to full article: New Haven (CT) Independent, 2009-09-22
Author: Thomas MacMillan
Intro: Expectant fathers like Timothy Strong will be able to light up in front of the Hospital of St. Raphael for a little while longer, after a plan to immediately ban cigarettes there went up in smoke for now.
Strong (pictured), whose girlfriend was in labor with a baby boy at the Chapel Street hospital on Monday, was one of aseveral afternoon visitors to St. Raphael's who paused on the sidewalk to puff a cigarette. On Monday evening the Board of Aldermen considered a proposal that would make their behavior illegal.
In a repetition of recent history, the proposal encountered the same speed-bump encountered by a previous sidewalk smoking ban, at Yale New Haven Hospital: East Rock Alderman Roland Lemar slowed that ban down by calling for public input. The Yale-New Haven ban ended up having a public hearing and becoming law.
The St Raph's proposal, which seeks to designate the public area around the hospital as a smoke-free zone, was submitted by West River Alderman Yusuf Shah on behalf of the hospital.
Jump to full article » |